This copycat recipe (Noodles & Co. Tomato Bisque) is just delicious and perfect for game day or movie night at home. Easy to make and actually good for you too.

The health benefits of tomatoes are great due to the high concentration powerful phytonutrients including lycopene. Tomatoes support cardiovascular health, bone health, and have anti-cancer qualities. Studies have shown that higher blood levels of lycopene after eating cooked tomatoes than after eating raw or drinking tomato juice making soup a great way to get these phytonutrients.

Use organic whenever possible.

This recipe is not as sweet as as my other recipe Harvest Tomato Basil Soup and a little easier to make. Try both and let me know which you like better..

Tomato Basil Bisque Recipe

• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 cup onion, chopped
• 2 medium sized carrots, diced
• 1 28 oz can of crushed tomatoes (homemade crushed tomato recipe below)
• 3 cups vegetable stock
• 3 twigs of fresh basil leaves, chopped
• 3 garlic cloves
• 1 bay leaf
• 1/2 teaspoon red chilli flakes (optional)
• salt to taste
• 1/2 teaspoon ground pepper

Using your soup pot, heat butter and add the chopped onion, carrots & garlic. Saute on medium-high heat for about 4 mins or until the onions softens.

Add the bay leaf, red chilli flakes and stir. Next add the crushed tomatoes, chopped basil and vegetable stock.

Add salt and pepper to taste and bring to boil. After it boils, reduce heat to low, cover and let it simmer for 25-30 mins to cook in the flavors.

Using a hand blender or Immersion blender, pulse until pureed to the level you desire. I leave some chunks. If you prefer, you can use a food processor or blender. Be careful, it is very hot.

Serve warm with any bread of your choice. I used a hearty cracker (see below) I recently found.

The Martha Stewart method for making your own crushed tomatoes

Score bottom of each tomato with an X and boil in water until skin pulls away, about 1 minute. Transfer to a bowl of ice water and let cool. Peel and quarter tomatoes, then pulse in a food processor until crushed.